Yellowstone National Park: World's largest collection of Geysers

Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first National Park is one of the planet’s most unique collections of geography, geothermal activity, and wildlife. This national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho. A mountain wild land, home to grizzly bears, wolves, and herds of bison and elk, the park is the core of one of the last, nearly intact, natural ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone. It has many types of ecosystems, but the sub alpine forest is dominant.

The park's name is derived from the Yellowstone River, which runs through the park. The Yellowstone Lake is the largest high altitude lake in north America. It's unclear if the name first referred to the sulfurous yellow rocks below the falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River or to the sandstone bluffs that border its shores.

Native Americans have lived in the Yellowstone region for at least 11,000 years. Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 2,221,766 acres comprising lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain ranges. There are over 1,100 species of native plants, more than 200 species of exotic plants and over 400 species of Thermos holes.

In 1872, Yellowstone became the world's first national park, the result of great foresight on the part of many people about our eventual need for the solace and beauty of wild places.

The list of park animals is a compendium of Rocky Mountain fauna: elk, bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, moose, pronghorn, coyotes, mountain lions, beaver, trumpeter swans, eagles, ospreys, white pelicans, and more.

Yellowstone has more than 290 waterfalls that are 15 feet or higher, including the 308 foot lower falls of the Yellowstone River; the 131-square-mile Yellowstone Lake, which in places is more than 400 feet deep; more than 1,150 species of native plants; and more than 900 historic buildings. Its climate varies from arid plains of the northeastern corner to 500-inch winter snowfalls in the southwest.

GETTING THERE:

The park's size and variety can be overwhelming, which is why many visitors keep coming back. The park is a major destination for all members of the family. By driving the grand loop road, visitors can view the park from the comfort of their vehicle and also take a rest at one of the many roadside picnic areas. For the active visitor, the park has thousands of miles of trails from day hikes to back country explorations. The main attractions are all located on the grand loop road and here are some of the top reasons to visit the park.

You can access two entrances to the National Park from Wyoming.

1. The east entrance is on highway 20 (also highways 14 and 16 at this point).
• Yellowstone Regional Airport is located about 50 miles away in Cody and has service from Salt Lake City and Denver.
• Vehicles can be rented in Cody as well.

2. The south entrance is on highway 89 (also 191 and 287 at this point). This entrance is in Grand Teton National Park and is about 60 miles from Jackson.
• Jackson Hole Airport is located inside Grand Teton National Park and has service from several cities including Salt Lake City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver. 
• Vehicles can be rented in Jackson.

• The entrance fee for Grand Teton National Park also includes entry to Yellowstone National Park.